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The Guru Granth Sahib is not just a book to Sikhs: it is always treated as a living Guru, so Simran talks about ‘being in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib.
5867 sacred hymns or Shabads make up the Guru Granth Sahib, which is full of wisdom for Sikhs. Reading the whole of the scriptures aloud, which takes about 50 hours, is practiced as a special devotion, called Akhand Path, done on special occasions as an act of worship.
One important part of the teaching is the Mool Mantar, which is found at the start of all the sections of the Guru Granth Sahib. This revelation from Guru Nanak teaches that God is one, eternal, without fear. Sikh children often learn this by heart.
Symbols for respect for the Guru Granth Sahib include: bowing the head to the ground in the presence of the Guru, covering the head, removing shoes to enter the presence of the Guru, sprinkling water ahead of the Guru Granth Sahib, providing a room and bed for rest. Teachers might ask pupils how many signs of respect for the scriptures they can see as they watch. What shows that these scriptures are sacred?
The greatest respect for the teachings, however, is not in removing shoes or sprinkling water, but living a life inspired by the wisdom of the Gurus. This matters most.